FBI joins investigation into attack on Santa Cruz researcher

AP via SFGate ^ | 2/28/8

[SmithL]

Santa Cruz, Calif. (AP) -- The FBI is investigating possible links between animal-rights activists in Southern California and a weekend attack on the home of a University of California, Santa Cruz researcher.

Patti Hanson, an FBI spokeswoman, said the bureau was looking into possible connections to "domestic terrorism."

A demonstration by six masked protesters in front of the UCSC scientist's Westside home Sunday afternoon turned violent when the group pounded on the door and were confronted by the researcher's husband, police reported.

The incident invited comparison to recent attacks on UCLA researchers that were linked to animal-rights groups.

No one has claimed responsibility for the Santa Cruz attack, and police have made no arrests nor confirmed the Sunday incident was connected to any animal-rights organization.

"We're still trying to identify the people and what the motive is," Santa Cruz police Lt. Rudy Escalante said.

Escalante said the UCSC researcher's husband heard yelling in the front yard, looked out the front door window and saw protesters early Sunday afternoon. At the time, the family was having a birthday party for one of their children.

"By that time he hears pounding," Escalante said. The ma

[girlangler]

Save the animals, compassion ping.

[freekitty]

People like this should be found and arrested and locked up and throw the key away.

They are no good to society. Wasted puke.

[prairiebreeze]

Too bad he didn’t open the door with a shotgun in his hand. But I suppose there are gun restrictions.

[jazusamo]

I’m glad the FBI is in the investigation, they probably already have been though because of the history of the ALF and ELF.

[oldenuff2no]

I agree, a riot gun stuffed full of buckshot. The cops would have been able to identify them in the morgue. If some one tries to break my door down deadly force will be implemented and will continue to be used until nothing moves.
Actually it might have been more fun to shut the gates behind them and turn a few attack dogs loose to see how well them commune with the animals.
I’m out in the sticks in ranch country. The kooks won’t come out here. We have big dogs, lots of guns, and backhoes with lots of places to plant they for eternity. We discovered a long tame ago that SSS applies to PETA too.

[ARE SOLE]

Appearing in public wearing a mask should be illegal.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

There goes my Halloween costume! ;)

But I agree. These people are nut jobs.

[JoeFromSidney]

Appearing in public wearing a mask should be illegal.

Don't say that. The day may be coming when the patriots will need to be masked.

What should have happened in this case is the husband met them with a gun and told them to lie down until the cops came.

[ARE SOLE]

Sorry I think it's cowardly and should be illegal.

[TYVets]

I’m glad the FBI is in the investigation,,,

I hope the FBI does more than just carry chalk around in their pockets when investigating in this type of crime.

The perps, two or three of the six should have left the crime scene in body bags.

[TYVets]

Appearing in public wearing a mask should be illegal.

I can think of three good reasons for wearing masks in public.

Helen Thomas

Janet Reno

Halloween

[ARE SOLE]

I can think of three good reasons for wearing masks in public.

Helen Thomas

Janet Reno

Halloween

LOL.

But that would be a loop hole we may come to regret. Can you imagine 10,000 WTO protestors all wearing Helen Thomas masks??

[jazusamo]

Agreed and the FBI did a pretty good job on The Family, an eco-terror group setting fires a few years back. Ten of the group were sentenced to federal prison last year and one is on trial in Tacoma, WA right now.

I have a hunch the FBI knows more about this group than they’re saying right now, hope so anyway.

[TYVets]

Can you imagine 10,000 WTO protesters all wearing Helen Thomas masks??

Oh gee thanks.

I was just getting ready to go to bed.

Now I visualize a long sleepless night or one filled with nightmares.

[whitedog57]

perhaps they are simply taxpayers!

[sinanju]

Amen! The thorough prosecution of “The Family” had a seriously dampening effect on the ecoterrs.

I hope they pull off the same thing here.

These little rascals tend to lose their enthusiasm when they face adult-size penalties. They had a free ride for years and years until the feds finally got in on the act post-9-11

[sinanju]

It would help a great deal if they can find something to pin on the eco-terror mouthpiece himself, supposed emergency room surgeon and outspoken animal-rights psycho Jerry Vlasak.

[jazusamo]

It sure would help to be able to do something about Vlasak, no doubt in my mind that he is encouraging and inciting these ALF whack jobs.

It is unbelievable to me that his license to practice medicine hasn’t been jerked. How can a physician who takes the hippocratic oath turn around and say murder is justified for people using animals for medical research, it just doesn’t fly with me.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Just turn on the sprinklers.